Many men suffer from the inability to obtain or maintain an erection. The sources of this problem are physical, psychological or a combination of both well known to medical professionals. This problem was once falsely considered as an inevitable part of aging or as such a private matter that many men suffered unnecessarily in failing to seek medical treatment.
An erection is maintained by contraction of the pubococcygeal muscle, which constrict blood vessels after the penis has become engorged with blood. The pubococcygeal muscle is also known as the PC muscle, or Housten muscle and forms a floor at the base of the pelvis much like a hammock supporting the internal organs of the body.
For women, during childbirth, the PC muscle is stretched and weakened by carrying and delivering babies. In men, the strength of the PC muscle may deteriorate through ill health, accident or through lack of use like any other muscle of the body. Failure or weakness of the male PC muscle results in escape of blood from the penis and subsequent loss of erection.
Physical rehabilitation of the PC muscle is possible through a program of regular exercise, also like any other muscle of the body. Conventional responses to this problem have only been partially successful for men. For example, an exercise known as the Kegel exercise has been used to strengthen the PC muscle and has proved to be an aid in sustaining an erection and controlling orgasm. Kegel exercises are very well known, and are regularly taught to pregnant women in childbirth classes to help ease the trauma of delivery and to shorten their recovery for example. What is less well known is the effect of this same exercise when practiced by men, likely due to the sensitive nature of the subject.
Extended contraction and repeated exercise of the PC muscle gradually builds up the muscle strength. As with any other body muscle, this gradual process does not achieve maximal efficiency unless exercise is regular, challenges the muscle tissue and is continued for a sufficient length of time. Any muscular exercise which is too strenuous actually contributes to muscle fibre deterioration, whereas an exercise program that is not challenging enough does not rehabilitate the muscle at an optimal rate of progress.
The optimal use of the Kegel exercise is difficult to monitor scientifically and establishing a medically prescribed exercise regimen is impractical. However, the benefits of regular Kegel exercise have become an accepted part of medical recovery programs for building PC muscle strength in men suffering from inability to obtain or maintain an erection, and for raising the awareness of their bodily responses in men suffering from premature ejaculation. Similar exercises are used during what is known as "tantric" sexual practices, currently raising much interest in western countries, which combine eastern mysticism, meditation, yoga breathing exercises, and include exercise of the PC muscle. In short, better control over the PC muscle results from the strengthening and awareness of this muscle through exercise. Better control leads to medically verifiable improvement in the sexual functioning of such patients.
Other exercises used in treatment involve use of devices which stimulate the penis principally through frictional engagement between the device and penis. Such devices may irritate or damage the skin especially if use is extended defeating their intended purpose when pain or discomfort is experienced by the user. In addition, the user has very little real control over the level of stimulation and certainly not to the degree of repeatability required for scientific measurement and medical treatment.
The use of exercises and stimulatory devices are not intended to result in orgasm. In fact, orgasm results in a lessening of the effectiveness of the exercises. The optimal exercise regimen includes prolonged and repeated contraction of the PC muscle. It is possible to contract and exercise the PC muscle when the penis is not erect, however, the effectiveness of the Kegel exercise is greatly enhanced if an erection is maintained during exercise by an optimal but relatively low level of stimulation.
It is desirable therefore to produce a penile stimulation device which does not produce frictional discomfort when used and can be controlled to effect maximum rehabilitation of the PC muscle through repeated exercise.